This invention relates to the art of fluid flow piping systems and, more particularly, to adapter fittings for use in such systems.
Fluid flow components of the type which can be bolted together and provide sealing at mating faces offer many advantages over conventional piping and control systems. These advantages include sealing integrity, a minimum number of joints, and compact overall dimensions. Fluid flow components of the indicated type can be used at any outlet that has a bolt-on flange configuration. However, it would be desirable to be able to adapt the fluid flow components of the indicated type for use with many types of outlets, in addition to the bolt-on flange configuration, since this should increase the number of applications that can benefit from the advantages thereof. In particular, it would be desirable to be able to use these fluid flow components with positive sealing type thread connections such as the SAE straight-thread connections.
In my copending applications Serial No. 776,497 filed Sept. 16, 1985 and Serial No. 420,891, filed Oct. 13, 1989, there is taught how to effectively adapt a threaded port or threaded connection to a flange or a flange port and there is disclosed an adapter fitting which enables fluid flow components of the indicated type to be used with various types of outlets including the positive sealing threaded connections and bolt-on flange connections. The present invention is another form of adapter fitting of the type disclosed in said copending applications.
In some applications when the threaded port and its fitting include a separate sealing means, the shoulder of the fitting generally has to be made radially larger than the diameter of the threaded port in order to retain the seal in its sealing cavity and, therefore, maintain the integrity of its sealing surfaces. In some of these cases, in order to employ an adapter fitting of the type described in said prior applications, it will require a new threaded adapter flange mount with a larger shoulder portion. This is necessary in order to adequately retain the sealing means and provide an adequate bearing surface for the adapter to be fastened against the face of the corresponding threaded port. Such a new adapter mount with its enlarged shoulder portion will therefore require a new flange portion with a bore designed to accommodate it. In order to make one size adapter mount and its corresponding flange applicable to many types of thread systems, and thereby reduce the manufacturing and inventory costs involved, etc., there is described herein a novel shoulder means for use with an adapter fitting in accordance with said prior mentioned applications. This shoulder means comprises a separate seal retaining ring in order to eliminate the need to make the basic threaded adapter mount larger and avoid the need to provide an additional special flange to accommodate this mount.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this novel design has many advantages. For example, an important advantage is the great reduction in the number of special larger threaded adapter mounts and their corresponding special flanges that would be necessary without the invention.